DSTV trying to squeeze extra money out of us

My battle with DSTV - ITs a pay before you get system not a pay for what you got system. So if you must pay before how can you have a arrears. ? Below is my fight -------------------------The last payment in your account (R874.00) which was supposed to be paid in November came back unpaid. We did not receive any other payment after that. ~KWM yes - I wanted no further dstv from my stop paying date - like the lady I spoke to understood. But now they say I owe half month because it was not stopped when I stopped.

You were supposed to have asked for a disconnection of your account, this disconnection was going to be done on your payment date. Unfortunately, there's no interaction showing that you asked for a disconnection. ~KWM WED 11:51PM as i said the last lady i spoke to said it was fine to stop paying as a indication of ending. i am not willing to go through the torment of a a call center that works frustratingly at the best of times every time I wish to disconnect. THU 7:13AM

Hi David , you can also contact us through our Facebook inbox, Twitter Direct Messaages, email at ********** or use the self-service platforms to schedule a disconnection.

You can dial *120*68584# from the mobile number captured on our records or log into your online profile at http://www.dstv.com ( if you have already registered for one ).

We advise on communicating a request to disconnect to us to avoid charges being incurred. ~ TRK FRI 8:08PM Some guy spoke to on phone was going to get back to me today ??????????????????????????? accounts problem ?. When ever I tire of my DSTV or know I will be away etc I just stop paying it, Simple !. Once when I reconnected again again I chatted to some later and in course of conversation " she said thats fine, but remember there will be a R60--?-- re connection fee each time.(some amount ??). I said thats no worries. NOW the last time I opted out was Dec Hols and this January I get phone calls from DSTV telling me I owe them half months subscription. Huh ????? First guy tells me its because when I stopped they gave me a grace period in case I was paying late ??? Second person that phoned inquiring when I would pay the half month amount told me I had to phone in to cancel. If I could phone in to a number say disconnect me fine, but I do not do call centers please hold please press lost you try again business unless I REEEEaaallly have to. No pay no view works for me. Problem is now they keep calling for their half month THAT I DID NOT ASK FOR, was not even home. David Treeman Allen

Hi David

We regret to hear of your frustration and would like to clear the confusion, in terms of how your billing cycle works.

Our system works on a prepaid billing principle, which requires that a payment be made in advance, so services can be consumed for the month. We always charge you in accordance to your payment date, therefore your month starts on your specified payment date and ends the day before the same date, the following month...

...In light of this, any changes in package i.e disconnections/downgrades need to be scheduled for the payment date and cannot be executed on any other day within your billing cycle. These are all specified in our terms of conditions, which can be found on this link https://www.dstv.com/topic/terms-and-conditions- ********** 0 .~OCM FRI 10:06PM So then when my last payment was used up my viewing was ended, as last lady i dealt with said. The pleasse explain how I can run up a IOU R400. I pay as required in advance for advance. When I stop paying I stop getting - I did not request any credit system. So how do I get a unpaid amount - two months nogal ??

You did not request a disconnection of services, hence they continued for the 15 days. The amount you are being advised to pay, is a pro rata amount for the time your services stayed active before the system executed a disconnected. The system has a grace period capacity, which is why we advise customers to disconnect services on/before their payment date to avoid services staying active outside of your payment date.~OCM (1)This is not what the lady I originally spoke to told me . (2) As I said I did not ask for any credit or grace as you call it, I was leaving town for while. As I said its a pay up front system, not possible to accumulate a debt. Secondly i can not be charged for a requested service or what ever u wish to call it. I am not will to pay this amount, as I Did not request it nor did I use it. Would be interesting what the general public consensus would be on being charged for a unrequested service on a pay up front service.

We understand where you are coming from David, however, the request for disconnection is clearly stipulated in our terms and conditions, which you agreed to upon activation of services. We do not prohibit you from disconnecting your services when you don't need them for the following billing cycle, however we do request that you advise us timeously so it can loaded on the system. ~OCM 1:19AM fine - u understand - i understand. I should have told you that when i stopped paying i was stopping ( simple really) but yea there are perhaps clauses in the contract no one reads page after page of. The lady I spoke to stated that it was fine but not preferred way and that there would be a re-connection -u seem to be ignoring this part. Second piece you seem to disregard, weather i am supposed to lt you know or not - u clearly stated earlier its a pre paid - forward paid service, not a credit pay later system. Plus not a service I requested. ---- I am not willing to pay for the service I did not request. 7:21AM

Hi David.

The amount outstanding on the account is R 407.86 as the services were still active after the November fees bounced. This arrears amount will need to be provided for before a reconnection can take place. ~MK 9:23AM I ask again how can I have a charge in arrears if I pay forward ? The woman I dealt with said it was fine to stop paying when finished - keeping in mind the re connection - your agents words. You have not answered regarding the info from her. You aere avoiding the question of hpw can it be active if its a pay forward system.

Due to not scheduling a disconnection the system will go about as if your account has not been paid (late payment), therefore there are prorated charges for the days viewed after your payment date without any payment received. ~MK Ie a credit that was not asked, for !!!!!!!!! I did not ask for this service, and I am not willing to pay for it, I have been doing my DSTV this way since I first got DSTV and have not been charged like this ? when did this come into affect - the unrequested credit and the new w